A. THE HAND WRITING ON THE WALL EXPLAINED…

c. Peres (Upharsin) – Your kingdom has been divided, given to the Medes and Persians

d. The message of Daniel’s interpretation is that Belshazzar’s kingdom had been numbered for destruction. The king himself is weighed and found wanting. The kingdom was to be taken away and given to the Medes and the Persians.

B. A THIRD OF NOTHING…

1. Belshazzar is true to his promise – Daniel 5:29

2. But as we will soon see, what he gave Daniel was a “third of nothing”

C. “THIS NIGHT YOUR SOUL WILL BE REQUIRED OF YOU…”

1. How quickly the proud and boastful can fall, despite power and wealth – Daniel 5:30-31

a. Herodotus indicates that Babylon fell as a consequence of the diverting of the waters of the Euphrates, allowing the enemy to enter under the city walls

b. Other sources explain it as the result of treason and subterfuge from within, resulting in the opening of the gates to the conquering armies

2. This is reminiscent of Jesus’ story of the rich fool – Luke 12:15-21

a. Boasting one day

b. Dead the next

Conclusion

1. The announcement of doom in this story was provoked in part because…

a. The king misused and abused some pieces of metal

b. These pieces of metal were God’s pieces of metal

c. For such disregard of what belonged to God, a kingdom would be buried!

2. Remember that we are the temple of God today – 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

a. If God did not view lightly the misuse of His vessels then…

b. Will He be casual about the impenitent abuse of His church today?

3. Just as He destroyed the one who defiled His temple of old, so He will destroy those who defile His temple (i.e., the church) today!

Let’s not wait for “The Hand Writing On The Wall” to tell us it is too late, that judgment has been passed and the sentence is final.

Let’s instead heed “The Hand That Wrote On The Ground” (i.e., Jesus, John 8:6, 8), while there is still time for mercy and forgiveness!